Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 269 Ignition Plan, Phoenix Returns to the Nest (Note 1)

It was already past 9 o'clock when I woke up at the Peninsula Hotel this morning. I had a lot of drinks at the charity dinner yesterday.

Mei Yanfang pulled Huazai over to chat and insisted that Boss Lu agree to cooperate with him next time.

There was also Cheng Guoqiang who came to talk to him with an innocent look on his face. He seemed to be a man who could do great things and had a thick skin.

However, Boss Lu still dealt with it nonchalantly. After all, he had solved the problem in a manly way.

Interests are eternal. Maybe there will be opportunities for cooperation in the future?
It’s just that the tool Xiao Liu flew back to Beijing angrily early this morning.

"Bad Genius" is about to be completed, and the shooting of Mytube videos will also be put on the schedule, followed by the non-stop shooting of "Zhu Xian".

With the second season approaching, the recent rebroadcast of "Zhu Xian" has reignited the wave of popularity seen last summer, as evidenced by the download volume of online ringtones and the sales of peripheral products on Wenjie Mall.

In view of this, Wenjie and Shanda also officially started the production of the online game of the same name, and began to verify the money-making ability of another derivative channel.

Boss Lu coordinated some animation special effects talents from Butian Film to participate in the development, in order to reserve technical talents for the game development business that may be extended to the future.

At ten o'clock in the morning, Ah Fei drove his boss to Kam Hing Building, No. 20 Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.

This is the location of Star Entertainment, owned by Hong Kong director Stephen Chow.

After finishing this last task, I will devote myself to the planning of the Olympic opening ceremony and the filming of "The Tangshan Earthquake".

"I'm looking for...Mr. Zhou Xingchi."

Boss Lu greeted the pretty receptionist. He originally wanted to say that Xingzai was here, but he was afraid that people would misunderstand that he was there to provoke her.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"I just called."

The receptionist called an inside number and respectfully led him inside.

When you push open the door of Zhou Xingchi's office, you will see some obvious clutter. The desk is piled with script manuscripts in a disorderly manner.

"Lu Sheng, sit down."

"Okay."

The last time the two met was at the Chedun Studios in Shanghai in early 2004. At that time, Stephen Chow's "Kung Fu" was about to be completed, and they had a brief encounter with each other.

At that time, Zhou Xingchi watched the last scene he directed with Fan Bingbing in it. He came with excitement and left with disappointment.

"What do you want from me, Lu Sheng?"

"I invite you to go to Peking and be a teacher."

Boss Lu said something shocking with a calm expression, but Zhou Xingchi also looked calm, without any emotion fluctuations.

"That's right. Beijing Film Academy and several professional film schools in South Korea and Japan will open a Pan-Asian Film Academy to cultivate the genre and commercial film capabilities of potential directors across Asia."

Zhou Xingchi shook his head: "No, I don't have time."

This was the same reason Nolan gave for his initial rejection, and Boss Lu had no choice but to explain the issue of the academic system.

"Once a month is not too much." Zhou Xingchi touched his chin.

"What good am I? Forget about reputation or honor. It's useless!"

This conversation style is very Zhou Xingchi-like, but Boss Lu prefers this straightforward bargaining style, which saves him the trouble.

"The domestic box office capacity and the number of screens are increasing day by day. You can probably tell from the box office performance of 'Kung Fu' last year."

"The film center of the three regions across the Taiwan Strait has shifted to the mainland, and capital and talent are gathering at an accelerated pace."

"Look at "The Myth," a joint venture between Fang Long and Eagle King. Hua Guoxing and Media Asia are all entering the mainland."

“Even some individuals.”

Lu Kuan cited Andy Lau, who had shared several drinks with him yesterday, as an example: "Andy Lau told me yesterday that he plans to support several Chinese-language directors out of his own pocket."

This is not meant to scare Zhou Xingchi.

Film Art Entertainment, led by Andy Lau, is preparing to officially launch the "Asian Rising Star Director" film project at the Hong Kong International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The plan will bring together emerging directors from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and other places to direct six Chinese-language high-definition films.

The funds for Ning Hao's later film "Crazy Stone" came from here.

"I know, Zicong is one of them."

Boss Lu said with a smile, "You can come to Asia Film as a teacher. You can be listed as the producer of their feature films and receive commissions. You also have priority investment rights."

"What the mainland lacks right now isn't a market, screens, or audiences; what it lacks is good films, especially genre films."

Zhou Xingchi was somewhat tempted, but he had broken up with all his partners before, so he was somewhat averse to these twists and turns.

He turned his attention to the young director in front of him: "I just saw your "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and several of your previous films."

"You just said you wanted to learn from Hollywood. You think you can do it all by yourself, not to mention Western directors like Luc Besson and Nolan. I don't understand Hollywood."

Boss Lu corrected him with a smile: "Learning from Hollywood means learning their production processes and standards and cultivating our own film industry system, not copying them word for word."

The young director flattered him: "Your films have a unique sense of absurdity and unreality. Although they carry a strong personal label, they can inspire students."

"After all, even if you look at it from a global perspective, there are very few directors who can be praised for comedy films, let alone a comedy like yours that is both funny and tearful."

Zhou Xingchi was indeed pleased that such a young director with both box office success and good reputation praised him generously, and anyone would be delighted.

But this was not enough to convince him, a weird guy with a weird temper.

"Lu Sheng, tell me the real purpose of your establishment of this Pan-Asia Film Academy."

"Are you so selfless that you want to train genre directors for East Asian cinema?"

Boss Lu was about to speak when Zhou Xingchi interrupted him: "Don't tell me about the investment and commissions of those students' feature films. I believe that for you, you can make more money with this time."

"Haha, you have a very sharp vision."

They are both people who will not do anything without profit, so they are birds of a feather.

"Of course I have selfish motives."

“As the initiator and principal of the establishment of Asia Film, I have undoubtedly boosted the industry’s reputation.”

"The directors we train are naturally closer to our industry and are also an important resource."

"But honestly, whether you believe it or not, my biggest goal is to expand the mainland film industry, attract more audiences to theaters, and attract more hot money to invest in infrastructure!"

Zhou Xingchi felt that what he said was a bit exaggerated.

The bigger the market and the bigger the cake, everyone can indeed take a few more bites, but why are you so sure that you can get the biggest piece?
No matter how talented you are, you can only make one or two movies a year at most.

Aren’t you worried that you’re making wedding dresses for others?

Boss Lu continued to elaborate on his beautiful idea.

"I'll give you an example and you'll understand."

"You must be aware of George Lucas. Earlier this year, he donated $1 million to USC, most of which will be used for infrastructure construction."

"Why did he do this? It was to expand the market for Hollywood science fiction and special effects films, so that Industrial Light & Magic could reap more profits and attract more talent."

“That’s also my purpose in setting up a film school.”

"The bigger the Chinese-language film market gets, the bigger the business of Butian Films will be, the more Focus Media will be, the higher the distribution revenue of Golden Harvest will be, and the higher the customer orders of the derivatives mall will be."

"Honestly, what I care about now is not the profits from one or two movies. What I want is to make the domestic film industry 100 billion, 200 billion, or 300 billion. I can make money from the entire industry chain even if I don't make movies!"

He also talked less about his income from Internet sources such as blogs.

Boss Lu looked at the stunned Zhou Xingchi and smiled, "You should have heard about my feud with Huayi, but I have never banned or made things difficult for them in terms of advertising, marketing, or distribution."

"Because this piece of cake is still too small, just take qualified directors of commercial and genre films as an example."

"The commercial films in the Chinese-language film market that can now be said to be relatively stable and profitable include you, me, Feng Xiaogang, Zhang Yimou, and perhaps Ning Hao and Xue Xiaolu from our company."

Of course, the two behind him were taking advantage of his cheat to a certain extent.

"Even if we expand the scope, in terms of commercial films, there are less than 10 such films in the entire Chinese-language film industry."

"There is a severe shortage of talented individuals in genre films, and the potential of the entire market has yet to be fully tapped. This is the real purpose of my involvement in Asian Films."

Zhou Xingchi stared at him for a minute, then suddenly shook his head and laughed out loud.

"People always say I'm stingy and selfish. Although I don't want to admit it, I can't refute it."

"People also say that you are profit-driven and petty, and that you are at odds with your colleagues in the industry. I always thought we were the same kind of people."

"I just found out today that it's not true."

The last fig leaf of Hong Kong film industry sighed deeply.

"Those who steal hooks will be punished, and those who steal the country will be martyred."

"We Hong Kong filmmakers are just making small moves at best, but you're going to take over an entire country."

At this moment, Zhou Xingchi recalled the change of ownership of Golden Harvest which was broadcast live on TV a few months ago.

Zou Wenhuai's old face was full of tears. He said that he could meet Bruce Lee calmly and that he could hand over Golden Harvest to Lu Kuan with a clear conscience.

Only now did he understand Zou Wenhuai's feelings at the time. He placed all his hopes for the content creation and industrial development of Chinese-language films on this young man.

Such a person will never be limited to the gains and losses of a city or a place. His mind is broad and inclusive.

"Okay, but I have one more request."

"Ok?"

"Can you help me get a professor or tutor title like that at the Beijing Film Academy? I can get a stipend for attending lectures."

Boss Lu laughed and said, "Take me out for lunch and I'll help you with this."

"Is the chop suey noodles available at the tea restaurant downstairs?"

"Then can I get the title of associate professor at Beijing Film Academy?"

The two looked at each other for a few seconds and laughed in unison.

Zhou Xingchi always keeps his word, but the mixed noodles for HK$15 was not bad at all, and it satisfied Lu Kuan's hungry stomach after drinking.

Before returning to the mainland, he suddenly had the idea of ​​going to the University of Hong Kong, and gained something from it.

March 3, in the private room of Tanjia Hall on the 24th floor of Building C of Peking Hotel.

Today is the first gathering and meeting of the Lukuan Olympic Opening Ceremony bidding team.

Boss Lu pushed the door open and entered the room, followed by a pair of teachers and students from the University of Hong Kong.

"Professor Li, Xiao Wang, please take a seat first. We will introduce each other later."

In addition to the top talents from various art industries who were invited to the private room, many people had already met and entertained through the introduction of Zhang Huijun and Han Shanping.

"Teacher Lin, are you used to being back in China?"

Lin Ying smiled and waved her hand: "Just call me by my name, I can't be your Director Lu's teacher."

Like Wang Daren and other Chinese people who grew up abroad, she is still accustomed to calling people by their names. This social attitude is more neutral and facilitates communication.

"Zhou Yang, why do you feel so timid when you see people?" Lin Ying joked to Liang Zhouyang beside her.

Liang Zhouyang is 22 years old this year. She cried and begged her aunt to take her back to China to attend her first dinner party, just to meet her idol.

"Hello, Ms. Liang, I heard from Daren that you made a great effort to invite Ms. Lin Ying. Thank you."

"Director Lu! I really like your movies. Can we talk about it when we have time?" Liang Zhouyang was a little excited, but the social etiquette of a top cultural family was well maintained.

"Of course, by the way, today we have many talented people from both China and abroad, so I'd like to trouble you to be the translator later."

"no problem."

Artists pushed the door open one after another. They were all picked up from the airport by the staff of Wenjie.

"This is Mr. Michel, the American director."

"This is Mr. Jin Wei from the Opera and Dance Theater."

"This is the dancer Ms. Yang Liping."

"This is Director Dragón from Cirque du Soleil."

The top players in each sub-sector of the previous strategy are basically in place, with some minor adjustments.

For example, Galliano was temporarily unavailable, so Wang Daren stepped in urgently to offer some advice. Cai Guoqiang and two mechanical technology experts were poached by other teams.

Fortunately, there are top architectural designers like Lin Ying who can provide sufficient support in terms of mechanics. This kind of compound talent is the most scarce.

There are also more personnel additions in some areas. For example, Yang Liping was found first, but Lin Ying also brought in Shen Wei, which is a good opportunity to combine Chinese and Western brainstorming.

"This is Professor Guo Qiyong from the Department of Philosophy at Wuhan University. He is well-versed in classical Chinese philosophy and I think he can provide more support in these areas."

With Chinese learning as the basis and Western learning as the application, Professor Guo exists to safeguard classical philosophical thoughts such as "Heaven, Earth and Man" and "Harmony between Man and Nature".

The last person to arrive was Wang Daren. He had arrived in Peking yesterday and was invited by Bingbing to have dinner.

Everyone chatted and laughed as they sat down to the table. Chinese and foreign friends had different customs, so they just had two or three glasses of wine, but they all kept busy and showed great appreciation for Chinese cuisine.

After eating and drinking for a while, Michelle was the first to bring up the main topic.

"I was on the same flight with Spielberg when I arrived. He seemed to be heading to another Olympic bid team."

Spielberg joined Zhang Yimou's team, but later withdrew for some ridiculous reasons. Considering this, Lu Kuan had no intention of inviting him at all.

Guo Qiyong laughed and said, "It seems that this time it's not just a competition between you domestic directors, but also depends on the strength of foreign directors, hehe."

"Actually, film directors aren't particularly suited to directing large-scale evening parties. Dance troupes like Dean Jin's are more capable and experienced."

Jin Wei of the Opera and Dance Theatre said modestly: "No, the opera and dance troupe only has a few tricks. The core creativity is always the most important, otherwise it will become Athens Eight Minutes."

When this topic was brought up, everyone was silent. The public pressure that Zhang Yimou faced was also the pressure that everyone was facing now.

Young people are more lively. Liang Zhouyang said, "But I see that Lu Kuan doesn't seem worried at all."

Wang Daren agreed: "Lu Kuan is the most versatile director I have ever met. Before I came here, Galliano even told me to make sure to see what other great ideas you have!"

Everyone was a little surprised when they heard this. They all knew that Galliano was involved in the bidding team, but he should be involved in technological poverty alleviation, right?

From what this Chinese boy said, it seemed as if the two of them could still have a good fight.

"There are artists like Michelle here today who have participated in the Olympics, and there are also some who have not participated and may not even understand the process. Let me give you a brief introduction."

Boss Lu also studied it painstakingly for a while after signing the application letter.

"The opening proposal we applied for is mainly divided into three parts."

"The first part, the warm-up performance before the opening, mainly features Chinese and foreign songs and dances, showcasing our national culture and creating a warm atmosphere."

"Then there will be a welcoming ceremony, with the arrival of leaders from various countries, a countdown, and welcoming fireworks."

“Everyone, please note that the countdown here is the first process with creative value. You can consider it first.”

The 1984 Astronaut Countdown in Los Angeles and the 2012 Gun Balloon Countdown are both quite famous.

"The second part is the cultural performance. Needless to say, this is the top priority."

"According to the requirements of the Olympic Committee, we must showcase the splendid Chinese culture, the rapid development of science and technology, and the progress of the times within one hour as much as possible."

Lu Kuan paused, looking at the worried, thoughtful, and focused expressions of the people at the table, and continued, "The last part, ignition, is also the most important part."

"I've mentioned this before when I communicated with everyone."

"A successful opening ceremony means half the success of the Olympics. A successful lighting of the flame means half the success of the opening ceremony. Lighting the flame is so important!"

He glanced at the two teachers and students from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology he had brought with him. "Let's talk about starting a fire first. I'm sure you've come up with a lot of creative ideas over the past two weeks, right?"

Michelle was the first to offer her opinion: "The plan that several of us didn't adopt during the Atlanta Olympics could be improved."

"From the bottom of the home torch, five olive branches representing peace will extend outwards, forming a circle around the entire torch, with the other ends of the olive branches connected to the five Olympic rings."

"Seven white dove-shaped fireworks were placed inside the home torch, representing the seven continents. When the Olympic torchbearers from each region ran to the central venue, they lit the five Olympic rings connected by olive branches. The flames on the five rings spread upward along the branches, and eventually the five flames reached the central torch."

Boss Lu was thinking intently, and opinions of either praise or opposition had already emerged on the scene.

Guo Qiyong expressed reservations: "It's too international, doesn't reflect national culture, and lacks the added touch of high-tech creativity." Lin Ying smiled and said, "It could be improved, especially in the form of the fireworks, but without Cai Guo-Qiang on the team, we lack core technical expertise."

"My plan is for the torchbearer to enter the stadium and hold the torch high. Several drones will then carry the torch and ignite a five-ring image in the air, which will then touch the torch tower."

"Everyone, please note that the images here are produced using an air imaging system and are not real."

This is really high-tech, with both drones and aerial imaging.

Boss Lu was actually quite interested in her knowledge of drones: "Have you studied drones?"

"Yes, I specifically consulted with Northrop's unmanned reconnaissance aircraft flight control experts to conduct research. This is feasible."

Northrop is the first military-industrial complex company in the United States to research drone technology, but its research direction is larger aircraft, and the technology for small drones is not yet mature.

However, these electromagnetic precision positioning, navigation and communication signal transmission are universal.

The teachers and students of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, who had been silent since arriving today, looked at each other with excitement on their faces.

Wang Daren raised his hand: "My idea comes from the movie E.T. The bicycle flies higher and higher with magic, as if it is about to break free from its constraints. It is full of fantasy and romance."

"I've been exploring the streets of Beijing these past two days. China is a major bicycle country. The scheme I designed is for athletes to ride their bikes around the stadium first, then be suspended by wires and fly to the torch tower. After the ignition is successful, the athletes will fly out of the Bird's Nest, just like in 'E.T.'"

Everyone laughed, and Boss Lu nodded and shook his head frequently.

One person's plan may be short-sighted, but many people may have their own strengths. Due to differences in educational and cultural backgrounds, everyone's ideas have flaws, but they can provide creativity for the final solution.

Several domestic artist representatives, including Guo Qiyong and Shen Wei, also expressed their opinions, but their works were more cultural in nature and less technological in content.

Everyone looked at Lu Kuan. He was the soul of the team and the backbone. Everyone gave their opinions and he was the one who made the decisions.

Lin Ying smiled and said, "Tell me about your plan, Lu Kuan."

"Okay, I'll talk about the creative idea first, and then I'll ask the two guests from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology to talk about the feasibility."

Michelle, Dragon and others became curious. What kind of creative idea was it that required them to hire technical personnel to implement it?
"Our stadium is called the Bird's Nest, and my proposal is called Phoenix Returns to the Nest."

Boss Lu stood up and gestured with his hands and feet: "The athletes will run into the Bird's Nest and circle the stadium. At the same time, the phoenix image on the top of the stadium will also circle the stadium."

"Finally, the phoenix took the torch from the athlete's hand and flew towards the torch tower. The phoenix used its two wings to encircle the torch tower, and the central control activated the ignition device."

"Then the phoenix transformed into hundreds of feathers and scattered, or soared into the sky."

"What exactly is Phoenix?" Lin Ying asked first. Technical experts are always concerned about the possibility of implementation first.

Liang Zhouyang was cooperating with Guo Qiyong to explain to a few foreigners who didn't know what a phoenix was.

"There are currently two options. The first is the air imaging system you just mentioned."

"I've done research with Hollywood's top special effects teams. There's a digital projection and technical imaging company in Belgium called Buck."

"Just like the water imagery at the Athens Olympics, this uses the principle of mirage to create light and shadows with the help of water droplets and dust particles in the air."

"It's like using water mist as a projection screen, transforming a two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional effect by exploiting the irregular movement of air molecules."

Dragun raised his hand. "This technology has been used by Cirque du Soleil, but it requires very high humidity levels. Peking's climate is relatively dry, so the specific effects may not be as expected."

Lin Ying also raised objections: "The image and form of the phoenix are very large. Is it possible to achieve such a large-scale image with current technology?"

"I've already sent staff from Butian Films to Buck to have experts conduct tests. Only after the tests can we know the actual effects."

Michelle and the others, who had just understood what a phoenix was, joined in the discussion of technical issues: "Tell me about your second type of phoenix composition."

Lu Kuan glanced at Lin Ying and walked over to the teacher and student. "My second plan is still in the conceptual stage. Whether it can be realized depends on the research results of these two people."

"Let me introduce you again."

"This is Professor Li Zexiang, Professor of the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Director of the Automation Technology Center. He has made remarkable achievements in the field of robotics."

He then turned to another young man who looked a bit immature: "This student is called Wang Tao, and he is currently Professor Li's graduate student."

"The second set of Phoenix imagery is composed of a simple formation of large drones!"

Dragun immediately denied it: "Impossible! Even Northrop doesn't have such technical capabilities now."

"Just because they don't have it doesn't mean we can't have it."

The person who spoke was Li Zexiang.

In 1979, he went to Carnegie Mellon University, which is ranked first in computer technology in the United States, to study, and later went to the University of California, Berkeley for further studies, where he obtained master's and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering and computer science.

Li Zexiang pushed his glasses up, his temperament gentle and elegant: "I have come into contact with Northrop's research projects. Their research direction in recent years has mainly focused on the X-47B."

"The X-47B is a stealth unmanned bomber that can be launched from an aircraft carrier without human intervention. It has strong self-sustaining capabilities and a high degree of stealth, and its sortie rate and control range are extremely high."

"This topic is funded by the Pentagon, but their research on small drones has been stagnant."

Professor Li pointed to the student next to him who had been silent the entire time. "My graduate student, Wang Tao, is currently working on a flight control program and has entered the final testing phase."

"This flight control program is expected to enable the model to hover autonomously with high stability."

"Our goal is to apply helicopter flight control technology to multi-rotor aircraft, which have excellent flexibility and applicability."

He smiled at Boss Lu and said, "When Boss Lu approached me, I was also incredulous."

"Right now, we can only control a formation of five or fewer aircraft, and that's very demanding. To achieve the phoenix-shaped formation that Director Lu mentioned, we'd need at least a thousand aircraft, which is extremely difficult!"

"To be honest, even if you provide us with unlimited funds, it would still be difficult to achieve this requirement in more than three years..."

"OK."

Li Zexiang's statement was interrupted. He looked at his students helplessly, smiled bitterly and shook his head.

Everyone looked at Wang Tao together. Technical experts such as Lin Ying and Dragun were very skeptical.
It's not that they naturally think that the United States is superior in all aspects, but the West has indeed been ahead in this type of military technology for many years.

They could hardly imagine that a teacher and a student in Hong Kong, who were not even a research team, could have such a technical foundation and breakthrough.

"OK!"

He couldn't help but blurt out the first sentence "OK".

The tone of this sentence is more certain. He cherishes such an opportunity and he must seize it.

That day, when the young director and mentor came to the University of Science and Technology to find him, he was as incredulous as everyone else there.

Looking back at the development history of drone technology and DJI, let’s go back to 2005.

This year, Wang Tao established his graduation thesis topic: research on helicopter flight control systems.

He used his own money to generate electricity for his hobby, and eventually succeeded in developing a flight control system that could potentially enable hovering in the air, but his expenses were running out and he was running out of money.

At the end of 2005, he founded DJI with 20 yuan in start-up capital and scholarships from his parents, and created a masterpiece that later shocked the world in an office of less than 20 square meters.

Wang Tao cleared his throat and said, "Let me talk about the technical issues with large drone formations, or rather, the improvements we still need to make."

"To achieve the performance scenario that Director Lu described, our current flight control system needs to be significantly upgraded in four aspects."

"First, it's accurate positioning and navigation correction."

"For 1000 drones, the distance between each one needs to be around 1-2 meters. Traditional GPS positioning columns have errors, so navigation corrections need to be made quickly."

"But we have an advantage in a built stadium, which is that the venue is very open and there is no obstruction or signal reflection from buildings like in the city."

"Then we can set up signal devices in the venue separately to ensure the accuracy of positioning."

Boss Lu saw him looking at him and nodded in support.

The Bird's Nest will be completed before June 2008. If the plan is finally approved, we can communicate and erect it in advance.

Seeing that everyone was staring at him intently, Wang Tao became more and more confident as he spoke.

"The second point is communication and signal transmission."

"Our current XP1.1 does not yet have the capability for large-capacity data transmission. The more drones we have, the greater the data capacity required for ground-to-air interaction, including flight control instructions, motion parameters, and lighting control."

“When there are delays, errors, and losses, accidents happen.”

"If you want to meet the standards of a road guide, this is the first big hurdle you must overcome."

Signal problems can be solved with tricks, but this practical electromagnetic transmission technology must rely on solid accumulation.

"Third, it is the collaborative control capability of the cluster."

"For so many drones to perform coordinated movements like ascending, turning, and changing shapes in the blink of an eye, this requires precise motion synchronization and collaborative algorithms to monitor and coordinate flight status."

"We are still very weak in this technology."

"The remaining issues are battery life and load management, including the design and load capacity of the Phoenix shape at that time, but these are not the most fundamental problems."

Wang Tao also adjusted his glasses, and he looked like a cut above his mentor.

"Director Lu, I personally have confidence, but it does require a huge amount of funding to conduct the experiment!"

Wang Tao had a very difficult time starting his business in early 2006.

Fortunately, Shenzhen was located in the domestic electronics industry center, and at that time, one could buy any electronic chip on sale in the world.

Of course, they are all high-quality imitations of those in Huaqiangbei.

His team is just like model aircraft enthusiasts. They buy the frame in the East Market, the flight control in the West Market, the gimbal in the South Market, and the propellers in the North Market, and then assemble the complete aircraft by themselves.

It was difficult to recruit talent in the early days and the team fell apart. By 2007, only he and the cashier were left in the company.

Later, Li Zexiang, who was present, and Zhu Xiaorui, a robotics expert from Harbin Institute of Technology, jointly invested 100 million yuan in DJI, which led to Wang Tao's revival and the company's 70% share of the world market. Even the Americans had to hold their noses and purchase large quantities.

Even so, he achieved autonomous hovering technology in 2008, which is DJI's first generation of core technology and the basis for realizing large-scale drone performances.

Boss Lu is also thinking about this problem:
Given nearly three and a half years, unlimited funding and policy support, could he achieve the technical standards required for the Olympic Phoenix image?
Money is secondary. Before 2008, DJI had no financing information except for the 100 million sponsored by Li Zexiang and others. In addition, the resources of this life can bring in more technical talents.

On the other hand, for the prophets, even if they fail or are unable to achieve their goals, DJI will still be a diamond mine in the future.

Although Guo Qiyong was troubled by these technical issues, he was more concerned about the cultural connotations of the program.

Boss Lu smiled and said, "Technically, this is it for now. We'll continue to discuss it later. Now let's talk about the design ideas."

"The idea of ​​using the phoenix returning to its nest as the ignition element is based first and foremost on cultural heritage and symbolic significance."

"In ancient my country, the phoenix was a bird of good fortune, representing luck, peace and joy, and heralding prosperity, peace and prosperity for the country and the people."

"At the same time, cultural images like the phoenix are easier to remember and pass on, just like the movie 'Alien Land' became a global sensation. Audiences don't speak the same language or culture, so the only thing that sticks in their memory is these simple cultural symbols."

To give an inappropriate example, take the world-famous "Dragon Ball", which contains a move that everyone in the world can understand: Kamehameha.

Gather the energy and then release it.

This is a concept that every audience with basic cultural knowledge can understand, and there is no need to set any prior cultural background.

People in Shanghai and Buenos Aires had similar feelings after watching it.

The phoenix is ​​such a cultural symbol. At first glance, it is an exotic beast and mythical bird in ancient China. It flies with fire in its mouth. After being ignited, it scatters in all directions or flies into the clouds. It is romantic and beautiful.

Relatively speaking, although we are called descendants of the dragon, the image of the dragon is relatively aggressive in the eyes of Westerners and cannot be combined with the Bird's Nest.

Boss Lu even thought that if the last few elders could approve this ignition plan, they could completely change the name of the Bird's Nest Stadium to the Phoenix Nest Stadium.

In addition, there will be large-screen prompts and audience manuals at the Olympic Games, so understanding a mythical bird should not be a difficult task.

Lin Ying's curiosity piqued: "What's the second point?"

"Secondly, the phoenix symbolizes the harmony of yin and yang, and embodies the Chinese nation's tolerance and openness, which is consistent with the spirit of unity, friendship and peace advocated by the Olympic Games."

Guo Qiyong's eyes lit up: "We usually call it a phoenix, but in fact, the phoenix is ​​the male bird and the phoenix is ​​the female bird. It is the combination of the two genders, or you can say it is the mutual generation and cooperation of yin and yang."

Of course, audiences from the Confucian cultural circle will have a deeper understanding of this point.

He looked at Dragun, Michelle, and the others, who were about to cry with confusion, and smiled, "Of course, for foreign audiences, it's enough for them to recognize that this is an ancient Chinese mythical bird."

Yang Liping agreed: "The Phoenix Nirvana symbolizes rebirth and sublimation after experiencing pain and suffering, and it embodies our tenacious national spirit."

"Leaving aside foreign audiences, I think even our own people would be moved to tears by such a beautiful and grand scene."

After listening to Lu Kuan's statement, Shen Wei and Wang Daren both applauded. Liang Zhouyang's pretty face flushed with excitement, and she didn't even bother to continue translating for Michelle and the others.

Lin Ying smiled and said, "Although I already knew your talent from your films, you are the first person I've met who can truly combine the imagery of classical Chinese aesthetics with cutting-edge international technology."

"Teacher Lin, please don't flatter me. This is just a concept today. Whether it's using aerial imaging or drone formation performances, we need to continue to verify and implement it."

"Also, the several plans that everyone just mentioned need to be recorded."

"Even when it came time to decide on the program for the cultural performance, I might think it was a genius idea one second, but I would reject it the next."

"Today is just a casual chat after dinner. Let's get the work done first, haha."

Boss Lu sat back down in his seat. "By the way, I'm inviting everyone to go to Tangshan tomorrow. My movie will be held there for its launch event. I'd like to ask everyone to accommodate my schedule."

Dragun laughed and said, "As long as there's delicious Chinese food, I'm not picky about where I go, haha."

"Tangshan has the Eastern Qing Tombs, where ordinary people live to keep vigil for the Qing royal family. Many of them are former chefs from the palace."

"Then I'll invite you to try the authentic Manchu-Han banquet!"

Michelle picked up her glass and joked, "To a full banquet."

"Haha, cheers!"

After the meal, Boss Lu first sent Li Zexiang and Wang Tao back to the hotel and sat with them in the room for a while.

Wang Tao was already impatient in the car: "Director Lu, this research work..."

"Don't worry, listen to me."

Boss Lu interrupted him with a smile: "I have a proposal. I will invest 3000 million and set up a drone company with you and Professor Li."

"I'll give you a 30% stake in the technology. I won't ask about technical issues, and you'll have more than half of the voting rights."

“But I’ll take care of the marketing side of things.”

Li Ze wanted to shake his head: "I won't participate, this is your business, I'm just leading Wang Tao to do the project."

Later, Li Ze tried to lend a helping hand to Wang Tao several times when he was in trouble, but in the end he only held a very small stake in DJI.

Wang Tao advised him: "Teacher Li, you can't say that. Without you, I wouldn't be able to complete this flight control system that's still under testing."

He looked at the young director in front of him again and said boldly, "Boss Lu, I actually want to have my own company. I want to..."

Entrepreneurs all want to take the initiative, this is a common trait, and Boss Lu understands this.

But it is not supported.

"I can say this: if the Olympics hadn't required this kind of technology, the commercial market for your drone would be very small."

"I'm investing a huge amount of 3000 million yuan, and I'm also prepared for no return within ten years."

"The only requirement is that you meet the technical requirements for large-scale formation flight control in the shortest possible time. Even if it means taking shortcuts, you must first pass the Olympics!"

Boss Lu patiently persuaded him: "Cooperate with me, you don't have to worry about funding and application. The only thing you need to worry about is technical breakthroughs."

"Even in terms of technology, I can provide you with more unexpected support."

Wang Tao asked curiously, "Mr. Lu also knows someone who is talented in this field?"

"No, I know nothing about it, but I can use the Olympics as an excuse to demand policies."

"Your little temple is now messing around on its own, but I can raise requests and express my ideas to the leadership when I report on the Olympic plan."

"If everything goes well, the final report could involve all the elders being present. Imagine how much support we could gain from this?"

Li Zexiang also advised: "Wang Tao, Mr. Lu's request is not excessive."

"Relying on the platform resources of national key laboratories and engineering research centers to carry out key UAV technology research and system integration innovation is much faster than tinkering on your own."

“You’ll avoid a lot of detours.”

Wang Tao gritted his teeth and looked at the young director in front of him who was about to become his boss. He seemed to be a year or two younger than him.

"Okay! I agree, but I want to choose my own company name."

Boss Lu looked at him with a smile: "What's your name?"

“The road leaves no trace, the traveler has no boundaries, so let’s call it DJI!”

　Note 1: This was one of the possible plans that was circulated at the time. However, it seemed that the plan was to place LEDs around the Bird's Nest and display images of a phoenix. Later, this plan was abandoned because not much information could be found, so I made some modifications.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)